Beautiful Eyes
by AniRin
Summary: Stationed in Winhill during a Galbadian cease-fire, a young commander finds his one true love. Squinoa.
1. Beautiful Eyes

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 8 belongs to Square.

Author's Note:

The summary was horrible, and I hope to write the story better than I wrote the summary. A few things about the story, it is still in the FF8 world, but Rinoa's role has changed (not a sorceress/has no magic). I am trying to keep the characters in character, so you don't have to worry about any major OOC problem. Also, there may be some points in the story which seem confusing, but all will be explained.

Thanks!

----------------------------------------------Beautiful Eyes-------------------------------------------------------------

The sun was setting; the sky had become a mixture of blue and purple. He knew he had to find a safe place before dark. He kept running, breathing heavily, trying to get as much oxygen as he needed to keep going. He saw small specs of lights in the distance, he knew he was near. He kept running, his gunblade hanging at his side. His SeeD army had been fighting the Galbadian army for the past few months. They were holding strong, but neither side seemed to be winning more than the other. He knew that they had to stay strong, to fend off the Galbadian advancement. He was at the entrance of the small town. A small portion of his army was stationed here in Winhill. He quickly walked through the small village until he arrived at a hotel.

Inside the small hotel, he saw his army. They were all sitting in the corner at a table; Zell standing in front of the all, suggesting new tactics for the war. He was cut off in the middle of his sentence when he saw Squall.

"Yo! There you are; you ok?" he asked, shocked at the state of his commander. Squall ignored him, sitting down, wincing at the blood gushing out of his leg. "What the hell did they do to you?"

"An army of them attacked me. I held them off, but they still got a couple of swings at me," he said through clenched teeth, still winching at the pain.

"We need to get you healed, let's get you upstairs," Quistis suggested, standing up. They got squall on his feet, and made their way to the stairs. But they were cut off by the off by the hotel owner. He was a small man running up to them; he was waving a piece of paper.

"YOU! I will not allow you to stay here!" he shouted, pointing to Squall. "The Galbadians sent over a photograph." He waved a photograph of Squall, with a detailed description of him on it. "If they find you anywhere, not only will it be trouble for you, but for me as well. This hotel is all my family has, and I will not allow you to bring destruction upon it. You need to find a different place to stay, there is an old couple down the street, I'm sure they will take you in." And with that he walked away, his sharp tone still ringing in their ears.

"Wait, why do they want only you, and not all of the SeeDs?" Selphie asked.

"Probably because I killed most of their army," he replied trying to give a small smile despite the pain surging through his leg. "I am the Commander after all. They probably think that if they can get me, the rest of the army will be of no trouble. It would give them easy access to expanding their control over the continent."

"Squall, we could probably force the old man to let you stay," Zell suggested swinging a few punches in the air.

"No, I've had enough fighting for one day. I don't want to waste energy on those that try to help me. I'd rather spend it defeating the Galbadians. He didn't say anything about you guys having to leave, so I command you to stay here." A small wave of protest broke out among them. "No, you guys are staying. I received word form Cid earlier; we are to stay here for a month, no military action. Part of come plan that they are trying, a cease fire, or something. I want us split up, that way if the Galbadians find me; you guys can still take over. I want no complaints." A momentary silence broke out among the group. Without another word, he hobbled over to the table and picked up his gunblade. With the help of Zell, he left for the house.

"You need to get that leg taken care of, that makeshift bandage isn't going to last that long," Zell muttered. "You know it's weird, the Galbadians are always the ones to cause trouble. And we're always the ones to clean up their mess. Kind of sick of it, can't live a normal life. Man, I wonder how Ma is doing. She's probably cooking up everything that Balamb has, feeding the SeeDs." He smailed a little at the last though, Squall stayed silent through all of this. "Well, I guess we're here." Zell knocked on the heavy wooden door, and instantly it was opened by a small, old woman. Seeing the state of Squall, and the insignia marked upon their uniforms, she quickly ran out of the house and shut the door being her.

"Let me guess, Commander of Balamb?" she whispered into the cold air. Squall just nodded, still keeping his silence. The old lady adjusted her shawl, shielding herself from the cold air. "Did the hotel owner send you here?" They nodded once more. "I wish I could help you, I really do, but I can't. Not many people know this, but my husband used to command the Galbadian army. There are several soldiers from the Galbadian army in my house right now. The small hospital that we do have in town has overflowed, and my husband has made an agreement with the current Galbadian Commander. And now my own home has turned into an infirmary." She said bitterly, shaking her head in the direction of the house. "I'm sorry, young man, but it wouldn't be safe for you here. I know there is a cease fire a month long, but the Galbadians can't be trusted. We can easily see that from the manhunt, looking for you. Do you have anywhere else to go?"

"No," he simply stated, realizing his leg was now becoming numb.

"I'll tell you what; my niece lives down at the edge of town. It's in a wooded area, far from the eyes of the Galbadians, you will be safe. Hurry, and get over there before it becomes too dark, the Galbadians patrol this time of night. You friend will be safe here in town, but it is risky for you to stay here. Good luck Commander." And with that the old lady walked back into her home, closing the door on them.

"We're close, we better hurry," Zell said looking at the ground. With that they walked as quickly as they could down the cobbled streets of Winhill. Within minutes they noticed the scenery change from small cottage-like buildings, to a wooded area. Far into the woods, they found a small stone cottage. They walked up to the secluded house, and knocked on the door. The door was opened by a young woman. She was dark-haired, with large brown eyes; and her face lit up with a smile as she greeted the two. The words that came out of her mouth were only heard by Zell, as the Commander was lost in the beauty of her eyes.


	2. Perfect

Disclaimer: I don't own FF8!

Authors Note: I know a quick update. I'm trying to take advantage in the slow of school, but APs are coming up, so I don't know how quick the updates will be. Maybe I'll finish by then….. Anyway, I've decided to add lyrics to each chapter (The verse slightly foreshadows the story). Keep reading and reviewing!

_Leaves are fallin' all around, time I was on my way  
Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay  
but now it's time for me to go, the autumn moon lights my way  
for now I smell the rain, and with it, pain  
and it's headed my way  
Aw, sometimes I grow so tired  
but I know I've got one thing I got to do_

A-ramble on, and now's the time, the time is now  
Sing my song, I'm goin' 'round the world, I gotta find my girl  
On my way, I've been this way ten years to the day  
Ramble on, gotta find the queen of all my dreams

_Ramble On_

_Led Zeppelin_

_--------------------------------------------------------Perfect--------------------------------------------------------------_

"Commander would you like to come in?" the young woman asked. Squall gave no response, staring into her eyes.

"Squall, you okay?" Zell asked shaking Squall out of his thoughts.

"Uh, yeah," he mumbled, slightly embarrassed at the situation.

"Would you like to come in?" the young woman asked him again, blushing slightly.

"Yes, thank you." Zell helped him inside the house and onto the couch in the living room.

"Alright man, I better get back before it gets late. I'll see ya guys soon," he said before he walked out of the door. Squall sat there lost for a moment, staring at the ground. He was brought out of his trance-like state by a voice.

"I'll be back, I need to find some bandages to clean up your leg," her soft voice filled the air. She quickly disappeared into the other room. Squall was left to survey his surroundings. The cottage was small, but very inviting and warm. The walls were painted a soft yellow, and there wasn't much furniture; only a couch and a small wooden coffee table. Making up for the lack of furniture, there was a large black piano filling up most of the empty space. Flowers filled the house, bringing a sweet, inviting scent.

His observations were cut short by the return of the woman. "Found it." She smiled, holding up a first aid kit (A/N: Remember Rinoa isn't a Sorceress here, so she has no magic). "Let's take a look at you leg," she took off the makeshift bandage, and assessed the damage. "Well, this is pretty deep, but I can take care of it." With that she cleaned up his wound, applying an antibiotic, and put a fresh bandage on his leg. Squall didn't notice, but his gaze had once more shifted towards her. As she finished, she looked up, and their eyes met. Squall, embarrassed once again, thanked her and turned around quickly. _'Why do I keep getting lost in those eyes?'_

"Your leg is hurt pretty badly; you may be out for a few weeks, so I highly suggest that you don't try to fight. You should probably get some rest; I have a spare bedroom you can use. It used to be my fathers, you probably know him, General Caraway," She spoke as she put back the contents of the kit. We used to live here when I was little, but after my mother died, we moved to Deling. I live with him for the longest time, that is until he became too focused on his jobs. I got sick of it, so I just moved back her on my own. I'll never forgive him for the Galbadian stuff that his is contributing to." The smile that she had had on her face quickly disappeared. The moment of anger passing, she spoke once more, "Look at me rambling on about my problems. Anyway, we should probably get you to bed."

She helped him up, and together they walked into a small hallway. There were three doors in the hall. "That is my room, that one is yours, and that is the bathroom," pointing in the direction of each door.

His room was small, with only a bed, a closet, and a set of nightstands. "I'll get you some sheets," she said after sitting him down on the bed. She came back with a set of sheets, and some of Caraway's clothes. He took them gratefully and hobbled over to the bathroom to change. In the meantime, the young women made up a bed for the Commander.

"Thank you for the clothes," he said stumbling back into the room.

"No problem, you should probably get some sleep now." He nodded, stumbling again on his way to the bed, "Oh! Let me help you." She ran over and put his arm around here, acting as if she were a crutch. As she helped him into bed, her touch sent shivers throughout his body, leaving goose bumps as proof. He tried to ignore the feeling, quickly shaking off the idea. Once he was settled, she said, "If you need anything just shout, I'll be down the hall." He nodded. She turned to leave, but stopped midway. Turning around, she said "Oh, I never did tell you, I'm Rinoa."

"Squall," he said simply.

"Well it's nice to meet you Squall," she said smiling again. With that she turned back around and left the room. Squall was left alone with his thoughts. _It had been a crazy day, and I almost died fighting Galbadians. It's funny, no matter how crazy it gets, it all works out in the end…Something good always happens. Something good… Rinoa….._he smiled to himself. Thinking of the brunette and her smile, he drifted off to sleep.

_The next day_

It was day. That was all he knew, still being half-asleep. The sun was shining through the thin curtains on the windows, illuminating everything in the room. He lay there for a few moments staring at the ceiling. The pain in his leg was worse, than the day before, but he knew from experience that that was normal. He sat up in bed, determined to do something, and not spend the whole day lying around. _Now what? _He thought to himself. _I could try getting up….take a shower. _He picked up a fresh set of clothes from the stack Rinoa had given him the night before. _I've got to get my clothes from the hotel…..ask Zell about it later…._ Bracing himself for the pain, he stood up, wincing with every step. With the wall as his source of support, he walked down the hall up to the bathroom door. _Damn. This leg is really killing me. _Focusing on his pain, he walked into the bathroom, not bothering to knock.

That was his mistake. Absorbed in his pain, he stormed into the bathroom –well as best as one can with an injured leg- nearly knocking Rinoa over, who was getting out of the shower.

"Squall!" she shrieked grabbing the towel and wrapping it around herself.

"What?" he slowly said, still not fully up to speed with what had just happened. When he saw Rinoa standing there clutching a towel around herself, he began to turn a shade of bright red. "Oh…I-I'm S-Sorry, I...uh…I'm gonna leave now." Leaving the towel clad girl in the bathroom, he stumbled out of the bathroom.

Back in his bed, he tried to process all of what had just happened. _Rinoa…..why….why do I have to do stupid things? Everything seemed okay at first, but then this happens…..well that'll sure mess everything up. Wait. What am I thinking….all of these thoughts and emotions? I've never felt this before. Could it be? No….it can't be….I'm Commander of Balamb Garden…I have no time for things like this…I have to stay focused on my job. _His thoughts were interrupted once more. Rinoa walked in. "Um, the showers all yours," she said laughing a little. His face began to redden again, but luckily for him she was gone and did not see.

_An hour later_

He walked out into the living room; empty of people, but filled with the smell of food. He only then realized how hungry he was. He walked into the kitchen; Rinoa was facing away from him, cooking at the stove. He sat down at the table and watched her. She was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, her hair pulled back from her face. _She's perfect. She's not even trying….and she still looks so beautiful. _Rinoa turned quickly with the frying pan in her hand. "Oh Hyne!" she apparently hadn't noticed him come in, and was startled by his presence at the table, nearly dropping the eggs. "You scared me."

"Wouldn't be the first time today," Squall muttered, avoided direct eye contact. She laughed again, and began bringing food to the table. "I wasn't sure what you wanted, so I just made a little bit of everything." Squall surveyed the assortment of food in front of him.

"A little bit? I think you've covered every breakfast food possible." He said smiling at her; she smiled back, and joined him at the table. Breakfast began silent, but she soon broke the silence.

"So, what's it like being the Commander of Balamb?"

"It's good," he replied, shrugging.

"You make it sound so exciting," she said with a smirk. "I'm sure there's more action there than there is here. Don't get me wrong, I love living here, but it can get lonely at times. Not much happens around here in the forest. Then again, it seems less demanding than having the job of Commander," she said, playing with her food.

"Well its better that nothing happens around here. Any military action around here wouldn't exactly be safe."

"Oh, don't worry about me, I'm protected."

"By what?"

"A gun."

Squall nearly chocked on his juice. "You, innocent Rinoa, have a gun?"

"Yes, I have a gun. It comes in handy; I caught a Galbadian trying to break into my house a few months back. Shot him, now the Galbadians won't come near me. I wonder why?" she said shrugging.

"I have nothing to say to that," shaking his head in disbelief. She only laughed. The conversation was cut short by a knock at the door. It was Zell.

"Good morning, I'm playing messenger today." He held up a large bag, "Brought this for Squall."

"He's eating breakfast, you can join him. I on the other hand, have to run to the store for something. I'll be quick." Zell nodded, and she ran past him in the direction of the store.

He walked into the kitchen to find the commander eating. "Hey man, brought you some clothes." Dropping the bag on the floor, he grabbed himself a clean plate. "So, how's you leg?" Zell asked between swallows.

"It's okay. She healed it up pretty well."

"Oh, she heals, cooks, and is pretty cute. Hang on to her man." He said waving a fork in Squall's face.

"How's the rest of the army," he asked changing the subject.

"Ooh, changing the subject. Someone's a little sensitive," waving a piece of bacon this time, but only to stop when Squall shot him a death glare. "They're fine, stop worrying. Remember the cease-fire will control the war. Look at you, you've been gone for one night, and you're already itching to get back out there. Relax man, have some fun. Pretend it's a vacation, or something." He swallowed another pancake.

There was another knock at the door.

"AAHH! I'm in the middle of breakfast. Better not be a Galbadian, I'm not in the mood to deal with them," Zell got up to answer the door. "Yeah, who is it?"

"Delivery for Miss Heartilly!" Zell opened the door, to find a man with a large bouquet of flowers. "From General Caraway" He handed the flowers over to Zell, heading back the way he came.

"Caraway? What the hell does he want with Rinoa?" Zell mused, carrying the bouquet back into the house. "Yo, Squall! Caraway sent flowers to Rinoa. What does he have anything to do with her?"

Squall stumbled to the living room where Zell was. "Caraway is her dad, but she hates him." The two were interrupted by Rinoa returning from her quick shopping trip.

"Hey guys- oh, more flowers," she rolled her eyes. "He could at least figure out that he sends them a week before my birthday." She took the flowers and put them on a small table in the corner. _Birthday...I should get her a gift…It would be the perfect way to thank her for her help. _

The trio talked for a bit more, before Zell announced that it was time for him to leave. Having given some thought to his plan, he told Zell about it at the door. "Oh, so I was right. You do like her."

"No, Zell, it's only to say thank you."

"Whatever man, I'll find you the perfect gift, she'll love you for it," he shouted waving goodbye.


	3. Tears

Disclaimer: FF8 belongs to Square, and "Eyes on Me" is Faye Wong's

A/N: Sorry guys! I tried to get it up as soon as I could! It may seem similar to the other one, but I needed to rewrite and take some stuff out in order to write the rest of the story. Review!

_Beauty queen of only eighteen  
She had some trouble with herself  
He was always there to help her  
She always belonged to someone else_

I drove for miles and miles  
And wound up at your door  
I_'__ve had you so many times but somehow  
I want more_

I don_'__t mind spending everyday  
Out on your corner in the pouring rain  
Look for the girl with the broken smile  
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile  
And she will be loved  
She will be loved_

_She Will Be Loved_

_Maroon 5_

_(As close as it's gonna get for this chapter)_

*****************************Tears*************************************

One week later

He was standing in a field of flowers. A slight breeze was blowing around him, lifting fall petals from the ground. The sun shone brightly through the clouds, the sun's rays gracing the tips of the flowers. '_Where am I? This place seems so familiar…but I just can't figure it out.' _He began to walk, looking for a way out. There was a figure not too far in the distance. '_Who is that? Maybe they can tell me how to get out of here.' _He ran, desperate to reach the person, hoping to find a way out. As he came closer, he realized that he knew the person. '_Who are they? They look so familiar…If only I could see their face….All I can see is that they have long, brown hair.' _Frustration growing, he kept running, but never getting close enough to the figure. He kept running, struggling….

Thunder filled the sky, waking him from his sleep. He rolled over onto his back throwing his arm over his eyes. '_Great, it's time to get up. Man this "vacation" is really getting to me. I used to be up before the sun. Now I'm lucky if I'm up by noon. But then again, I haven't exactly been getting much sleep lately. Those dreams have been keeping me up. I have to figure out what those dreams mean…their too bizarre.' _He recollected the dream that he had that night. '_The same dream every night. The same person is always in the dream, but I don't know who they are.' _A mixture of frustration and confusion began to boil over inside him. Wanting to avoid those emotions, he quickly pushed his thoughts away, and made his way to the bathroom.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was messy from the nights sleep. His eyes and face showed the stress and lack of sleep that his job caused. Abandoning his reflection, he grabbed the toothpaste and toothbrush, and began brushing his teeth. His thoughts came back to him. '_I really need to get back to work; stay on top of the Galbadian problem. I don't trust them to keep the cease-fire. My leg is better...I can run a bit. Maybe if I were to get back-Hyne, who am I kidding, I still can't fight.' _His thoughts continued as he went through his morning routine. Finishing up, he gave one last look at himself in the mirror before walking out of the bathroom.

*****

He walked into the living room and sat down, picking up a _Weapons Monthly_ that had come in the mail. He flipped through the pages casually, not concerned with most of the weapons in the magazine. He found the weapon that he was interested in. _'Lionheart? It's the new version of the Revolver….Only 2000 Gil…I need to upgrade to this one. My weapon may be good, but I need it to be the best if I plan on leading SeeD. Otherwise-'His_ thoughts were cut of by a shattering noise coming from the kitchen. With his SeeD instincts taking over, he jumped up, and hurried over to the kitchen. _'Better not be Galbadians…..Rinoa….Where is she?' _

In the kitchen he found no Galbadian soldiers, but instead found Rinoa. _'Oh, it's only her. Wait, what was the noise?' _He walked up to the woman hunched over on the ground picking up fragments of a broken plate. "Here let me help you," he bent down picking up the small pieces. Rinoa didn't respond and continued picking up the pieces of glass. _'She doesn't look good, and seems to be distracted. Maybe she's just tired.' _Rinoa's clothes were wrinkled, she had bags under her eyes, and her hair was messy. She was the opposite of her usual state.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. She didn't respond, obviously distracted. "Rinoa?" Her head shot up towards him.

"Sorry, did you say something?" She asked her voice barely audible.

"I asked if you were ok, you seemed distracted."

"Yeah, I'm just tired."

"I'll clean up, you go and rest." Rinoa just nodded, dropping the piece of glass in her hand, and left the room. '_I wonder what what's on her mind. It has to be something big, she's never seemed this distracted before…'_ He picked up the remainder of the glass, dumped the small pile into the garbage, and walked out of the kitchen to find Rinoa.

The living room was dark and quiet; but Rinoa sat in it, curled up in the corner of the couch. He walked over and sat down next to her. He noticed that she had a photo album in her lap, and was staring intently at a photo. It was of a woman and a young girl on a beach, both smiling. _'Is that her? And that must be her mother. She looks really happy in the picture. But why is something so happy making her sad?'_

"_Rinoa, what's wrong?" She looked up at him, her eyes swelling with tears. 'Oh no, please don't cry. I can barely handle girls, much less crying ones.' _But the tears didn't fall; she just smiled a weak smile.

A shaky voice came out from her, "I'm Okay. I'm just having a bad day." She looked back towards the photo album. She pointed to the picture she was looking at, "This is me with my mom. We were at the beach one summer. I think I was four." She turned the page to next photograph, once again of her and her mother. This time the two were in the middle of a small garden, laughing and holding up plants. _'Happy again…..so why is she sad?' _She continued on, "This was us in the garden. We used to work in it all the time, it is-_was _our thing." She turned the page, and there was yet another photograph of the two, but this one taken in the later stages of Rinoa's life. There was a large piano in the photograph, and the two were sitting at the piano, playing. "She was a singer. She would write her own songs and perform them at hotels and restaurants all around Deling. She loved it so much, that she even taught me how to play the piano." Rinoa got up, putting the photo album down on the table carefully. She walked over to the piano and sat down, "She even taught me one of her songs."

Squall sat there watching her as she began to play the piano. The song began very slowly, but she soon began to sing; her voice drowning out the loud thunder outside.

_Whenever sang my songs__**  
**__On the stage, on my own  
Whenever said my words  
Wishing they would be heard  
I saw you smiling at me  
Was it real or just my fantasy  
You'd always be there in the corner  
Of this tiny little bar  
My last night here for you  
Same old songs, just once more  
My last night here with you?  
Maybe yes, maybe no  
I kind of liked it your way  
How you shyly placed your eyes on me  
Oh, did you ever know?  
That I had mine on you_  
**  
**

Squall sat their speechless listening to her voice. _'It sounds beautiful…' _The rain intensified, pounding harder against the roof of the small house. But the young woman continued to sing.

_Darling, so there you are  
With that look on your face  
As if you're never hurt  
As if you're never down  
Shall I be the one for you  
Who pinches you softly but sure  
If frown is shown then  
I will know that you are no dreamer_

As the song progressed, the two became absorbed into the song, paying close attention to the words and the sound.

_So let me come to you  
Close as I wanted to be  
Close enough for me  
To feel your heart beating fast  
And stay there as I whisper  
How I loved your peaceful eyes on me  
Did you ever know  
That I had mine on you  
_

The storm outside continued to grow stronger, and so did the singing.

_Darling, so share with me  
Your love if you have enough  
You're tears if you're holding back__  
__Or pain if that's what it is  
How can I let you know  
I'm more than the dress and the voice  
Just reach me out then  
You will know that you're not dreaming_

The storm knocked out the power, leaving the two sitting the dark, listening to the rest of the song.

_Darling, so share with me  
Your love if you have enough  
You're tears if you're holding back  
Or pain if that's what it is  
How can I let you know  
I'm more than the dress and the voice  
Just reach me out then  
You will know that you're not dreaming_

Rinoa finished the song, and silence fell between the two. "T-That was great." He stated simply, still speechless. Rinoa said nothing. "Rinoa?"

"Yes?" She spoke, still facing the piano.

"What happened?"

"Well," she stood, and walked over to where she was sitting earlier and sat down. "She was singer. She would perform at restaurants, hotels, even had her own shows," she smiled, repeating what she had told him earlier. "We would go with her, wherever she went. It seemed like we had the perfect life." She looked back up at the sky. "She was so good; she was supposed to sing for the Esthar President, a ball or something. But on the way there, our car was hit by a large truck." Her voice began to tremble, but she pressed on. "She was the only one that didn't survive. Caraway became a wreck, spending all of his time in his office, not paying me much attention. I was twelve when it all it happened. The worst part wasn't that I lost her, but the way she died. The truck driver was drunk, not to mention in was pouring rain that night." She looked in the direction of the window, staring at the pouring rain. She turned back towards Squall and continued, "He couldn't control the car, and we just h-h-happened to b-be in the w-way…" She couldn't hold her tears anymore; they were flowing down her cheeks quickly. She held up her necklace and said, "This is all I have left of her. Well this and some pictures."

'_Oh, great….It was bad enough that her mom died today, but I just had to ask her what happened. I only made it worse.' _He stretched his arm out and touched her on the shoulder, trying to comfort her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" But he stopped mid sentence, startled by Rinoa's actions. She had misunderstood his gesture, and instead had moved closer, burying her head in his chest. He stiffened, not knowing what to do. He was never good at dealing with girls, much less a crying one. He carefully wrapped one arm around her, in an attempt to stop her crying. "Shh…it's okay," he tried once more. She only tightened her grip on him, her sobs increasing. '_Oh great, what have I done now?'_

The two stayed like that for quite some time, the young girl crying, and the Commander comforting her. Rinoa's tears had slowed, with only an occasional sniffle coming from her. "Squall?" She whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Thank You."

"For what?" He looked down at her. '_Hyne those eyes are amazing. I could get lost in them with the slightest glance.'_

"For dealing with me," she said, giving him a weak smile. "It's been six years, and even though it happened a long time ago, I'm still a wreck. Does that make sense?" She finished putting her head back on his chest.

"Yeah, it makes sense."

"What about you? I ranted on about my family today, but I don't know anything about you."

"Well, there's not much to know," he confessed. "I-I grew up without real parents, in an orphanage. But I still had a good life, and even a good family. All of the kids were friends, and Matron was like our mother." He finished reminiscing about the past.

"Matron?"

"She owned the orphanage."

"Oh. I'm sorry, If I had known, I wouldn't have brought it up-" She began apologizing, but he cut her off.

"Don't be sorry. Like I said, I had a good life." He looked down at her smiling.

"You know, it's funny. Every year the same thing happens, but this year was different. This year you were here, you actually understood. No one ever did that. Thank You."

Silence surrounded the two for awhile, when Squall noticed that Rinoa had fallen asleep. '_I guess she was really tired, it's not even evening yet. Then again, a nap wouldn't be a bad idea, it's not like we can do anything else.' _He looked down at the young woman asleep in his arms. _'She looks beautiful, just doing something as simple as sleeping.'_ Abandoning his thoughts, he wrapped his arms tighter around Rinoa. Propping his feet up on the table, he settled in to take a much needed nap.

A/N: REVIEW!!!


	4. Angelo

A/N: Wow, yes I'm still alive. I just don't have time to write, and when I do I get hit with writer's block. Well, here it is. It's not the best, but it's all I got! So I hope it's decent! Just so you know the day passes very quickly in this chapter! 

_Say a prayer  
The summer nights are dead  
The fall is coming  
We were careless hearts  
Who got caught up in this_

You were shy  
To the night you drove me wild  
And you crashed into me  
And I won't lie  
I wish it lasted a lifetime

Please stay-ay-ay  
Won't you stay-ay-ay  
Tonight

Breathe in deep  
And say goodbye  
The saddest song  
I'll ever write  
For anyone, anytime

**August Is Over**

**We the Kings**

He turned his head to the right, the red numbers of the alarm clock staring back at him. It was six in the morning, and although it was early, he could not sleep anymore. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he had gotten so much sleep. He looked down at the brunette, fast asleep, her head on his chest. '_I still can't figure out how this happened. She asked, and I couldn't say no….' _He thought back to the previous night.

----------flashback

_Some time had passed, and the two were still asleep in each others arms. The silence and peace were broken by a loud cracking noise outside. Startling the two, the lightning had struck the ground nearby, sending a roaring sound through the evening air. _

"_Squall, what was that?" Rinoa asked groggily, lifting her head from his chest. The commander shrugged, getting up to look out of the window. _

"_I guess it was lightning. I don't see any damage, I guess everything is alright."_

"_I wish it hadn't woken me up, I didn't get enough sleep," she pouted, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. _

"_Well, I for one plan on continuing my nap. I haven't exactly gotten much sleep either." He confessed, turning towards the direction of his room. "What about you?"_

"_I think I'll do the same." She followed suit, the two parting in the hallway, each heading in a different direction. _

_In his room, Squall settled into bed, sleep immediately taking over him. The thunder intensified around him. No sooner had he closed his eyes, was he being shaken awake. 'Uhhh…what now?' He opened his eyes to find Rinoa standing next to _him. "Rinoa, what's wrong?"_ He asked, wondering why see had woken him up. _

"_Can I stay with you? Please? The thunder is keeping me up, and if I can't sleep, all I think about is the thunder. And thunder reminds me of rain, and rain reminds of the accident, and that reminds me of my m-mom." She said all of this in one breath, her eyes looking as though they were beginning to water again. 'Oh no, not more crying; I can't handle that. What should I do? I can't say no to her, she looks too cute pouting like that...' _

"_Um, Sure," he moved over, and she climbed in next to him. _

"_Thanks," she cuddled up closer to him, putting her head on his chest. He stiffened slightly, but relaxed, remembering that this wasn't the first time this had happened. He wrapped one arm around her, and put the other under his head. The two fell asleep quickly._

_--End Flashback_

Not getting anywhere, he decided that it was the pouting face that had won him over. '_Wait, isn't it her birthday? Hmm…Zell isn't bringing her gift until later. I know, I think I'll make breakfast.' _He carefully slipped out from the woman's embrace, careful to not wake her.

************

He poured the pancake batter into the pan, being careful to not burn any of the pancakes. He had decided on a simple breakfast, consisting of pancakes and fresh fruit. He wasn't exactly a gourmet chef, and wasn't planning on trying to cook an extravagant breakfast. _'Zell should bring her gift tonight, which is perfect, because then we have the day to whatever we want.'_ He poured another set of pancakes into the pan as he remembered when Zell first showed him his gift to Rinoa.

_--Another Flashback (A/N: because I can)_

"_Squall! Wake up!" he felt himself being shaken awake. He groaned, not wanting to wake up. "Squall, Zell is here. He said he needs to see you, said it was important." His eyes shot open, afraid that something had happened. Sitting up in bed, he asked "Did he say what it was?" The young girl just shook her head no. Letting out a sharp sigh, he stood up, walking to the living room. Zell was pacing around, waiting for Squall._

"_Finally!" The martial artist exclaimed, throwing in hand motions putting emphasis on his impatience. "I have news for you," he said plastering a big grin on his face. Having been worried about something serious, he was confused at his friend's expression. "Is Rinoa still in the other room?" Squall just nodded. "Good, I can't have her hear about her present," Zell whispered. _

"_You came here, and woke me up to tell me about the present?" asked the Commander slowly. The eager SeeD just nodded. "Oh Hyne, you scared the shit out of me! I thought something happened with the war!" _

"_Oh that…no the war is fine. I came here this early because I couldn't wait to tell you about the gift. I'm telling you man, she gonna love it!" He said flailing his arms in the air, showing his excitement. _

_Squall rolled his eyes, "This better be good."_

"_Oh it is!" smiling broadly._

"_Well…" looking at Zell expectantly, "Well, what was it!?" _

"_Oh! Come here and I'll show you," motioning towards the door. Squall sighed, following his friend out of the house. Outside of the door sat a large dog. The dog had a shiny coat, a mixture of brown shades, which matched the color of his large eyes. He looked up at Squall, wagging his tail, obviously excited. _

"_You-got-her-a -dog?" he said slowly, trying to comprehend the present. _

"_Yeah! Look man, he's a great dog; friendly and all. Like you said, she's lonely. A dog is the best solution to for that." He stated simply, shrugging. _

"_Hmm…I guess you're right. Your idea actually makes sense. I think she'll love it." He bent over petting the dog on its head. "I'll need you to keep him for a while; her birthday isn't for a few more days." Zell nodded in agreement. "If this works out, you can count on a truckload of hotdogs waiting for you when we get back to Balamb." _

"_Yes!" The boy exclaimed, throwing a few punches in the air. "I should probably get back; we don't want her to see the dog. I'll see you in a few days." With that he and the dog ran out of sight, heading in the direction of the hotel. _

----End of Flashback (last one, I promise!)

He finished the last of the pancakes, arranging all of the food neatly on a tray. '_I think I'm part obsessive compulsive or something…' _He thought, staring at the perfect arrangement of food. Shrugging off his thoughts, he picked up the tray and headed over to surprise Rinoa with breakfast.

He walked in to find Rinoa lying in a heap of blankets, fully awake. He set the tray down on the bed, "Good Morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked her.

"Yes, I-Oh, you made breakfast!" she exclaimed, noticing the tray on the bed.

"It's not much, but you can consider it a birthday breakfast."

"Birthday breakfast?" she said slowly tilting her head to one side, a smile creeping onto her face. "How did you know?"

"Remember the flowers? Through all your complaining you managed to tell me that your birthday was today," he reminded her of events that occurred not only a week ago.

"Aww! Squall! That's so sweet!" she smiled, sending shivers up his spine. _'Man, why does she make me feel like this?' _He raised his arm awkwardly, scratching his head.

"Umm…no problem."

"Sit and eat with me," she commanded, patting the empty space next to her. He nodded, and took his spot next to the brunette. The two started eating in silence, but Rinoa soon broke it.

"These pancakes are very good. In fact, I think they're the best I've ever had." She said in between mouthfuls.

"Thanks, but I'm sure there are much better pancakes out there. I'm not exactly the best cook out there," he confessed, trying to keep her compliment from causing him to blush.

"Aww! I'm sorry I embarrassed you!" She apologized seeing that she had caused him to blush. He pretended to not know what she was talking about, and Rinoa taking the hint, changed the subject quickly. "We should do something today; maybe get out of the house."

He nodded in agreement, "Where do you want to go?"

"I dunno, do you have any ideas?"

"Well I would prefer to not go to an area full of Galbadians, since I'm sort of wanted by them. What do you usually do on your birthday?"

"Um…nothing really. Ever since I've been on my own, I don't really do much for my birthday."

"Well, let's find something new to do. It's a nice day outside. Where do you really want to go?"

"Well, we probably shouldn't go to town, you know with the invasion and all. There's not really anything to do here in the forest. Oh! There is somewhere we could go."

"Where?"

"Beyond the forest there's a beach. Not many people know about it, so we should be safe from Galbadians. And it's a nice day out, it'd be bad to spend it inside." _'The beach? Uh...I don't exactly like going to the beach. The sand gets all over you, it gets too hot, not to mention that monsters tend to attack...'_

"Um, Rinoa, I don't know about us going-"

"Please Squall!?" _'Oh no, she's pouting again…why is she doing this to me?' "_I haven't been there since I was little, and it would be the perfect birthday present. _'Stop pouting…you know by now that I can't say no that face. Come on Squall, you can handle an army of Galbadians, yet you can't handle her…Who am I kidding? She's too cute to say no to...So much for being tough.'_

"Fine, I guess it won't hurt if I-" He was stopped midsentence by a loud squeal that had escaped Rinoa's mouth, showing her excitement.

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" She exclaimed, giving him a quick hug to show her gratitude. _'As weird as this is, I thing I'm beginning to like these random hugs. I don't know why, but it just feels right. Makes me feel happier. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever smiled as much.' _Wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't even notice the brunette slip out from under his arms, until she had spoken.

"This is going to be great! We'll need to pack a lunch - Oh I need to find my swim suit! And..." He zoned out, not paying much attention to the rest of the words that came out of Rinoa's mouth, focusing on his thoughts. _'She has a great smile. Whenever I look at it, I can't help but smile myself. These feelings are new…but I think I'm going to go with them. I'll follow my instincts, and see how far they take me.' _"Squall? Squall? Are you okay? You seem out of it, yet you're smiling widely."

Shaken from his thoughts, "What? Oh, Yeah. I'm fine, don't worry about it. I was just thinking about how much fun today would be," He quickly lied, knowing that he could not let her know what he was really thinking about.

"Oh, okay. Well, I guess we better get ready; otherwise we'll never get to the beach."

-----_Very late Afternoon_

Not much later the two were out the door, beach gear and a picnic basket in tow. The two walked through the small forest which was filled with a variety of plants and small animals. Neither of the two said much until they reached the shore of the beach. It was a warm, sunny day without many clouds in the sky. The sound of the small crashing waves filled the air, along with a strong smell of salt water. The two set up towels and sat down, letting the faint rays of the sun warm their face.

"Squall?" Squall turned, shielding his eyes from the sun, looking in Rinoa's direction. "What are you going to do now? I mean with the war and your job."

He let out a deep sigh. Turning back towards the ocean he tried to answer her question. "Well…I don't know. I mean my leg is pretty much healed, so I can always go back to SeeD."

"Oh." Her simple reply told him that she wasn't satisfied with his decision. "Do you ever get tired of fighting?"

"Honestly? I don't know. Fighting with SeeD, my life revolves around being a mercenary. To me an enemy is an enemy; they're all the same at this point. But then again, there are times where I feel like I should give it all up and retire to a quiet place. The funny part is that I haven't really thought about it all until now." Rinoa simply nodded her head and lay down on the towel. "What about you? What are you going to do with your life?"

She turned her head in his directing, putting her arm up to protect her eyes from the sun as she spoke. "Well, a few years ago I was a part of a group that tried to liberate Timber from Galbadia. We were a small group without many resources, but we were fairly successful. Well, until the Galbadians infiltrated the town, then we were overpowered and we had to quit. Not being able to live in Timber, and being on bad terms with Galbadia, I decided to come here to Winhill. I don't do much now. My days are filled with helping my friend at the local flower shop and living in this empty house on my own."

"Have you ever considered moving somewhere else or doing something else?"

She sat up looking at the waves crashing in front of them. "I've always wanted to go back to school. I guess I've been scared to leave Winhill. I mean, I know it sounds silly, but I just feel that if I leave Winhill, something bad will happen. I don't know what, but something will happen…I just know it."

"If something bad is supposed to happen to you, it will happen no matter what you do. At least that's how I see it," he said simply, pausing for a moment. "You can always go to Balamb. You don't have to be a member of SeeD, you can simply study there as a student." He ended the conversation by standing up and heading towards the ocean. "Are you coming in?"

"I'll be there. Just give me a minute." She watched him run into the ocean, diving into the crashing waves. As he swam, her thoughts began to fill her head. (A/N: Short change in POV!) _'What will I do with my life? I can't just always hide in the house, expecting everything to fall right into place. Maybe I should go to Balamb, give it a try. After all, I wouldn't be there on my own, Squall would be there. Hm. Squall. He seems like a simple guy on the outside, but I can tell that he has his own problems. The way he goes of into his own world, deep in thought, I just know something is wrong. Either way, he's a great guy and we seem to get along well. In fact, very well…" _

Her thoughts were interrupted by Squall's voice. He had come out of the water and was now standing above her. "Hey, did you change your mind? I thought you said you were going to be in in a minute. It's been well over half an hour, and the water is starting to get cold," he said as he dried himself off with the towel.

"Oh, sorry I got lost in my thoughts. Wow, I guess it's getting kind of late." She looked up at the sky to see the sun setting, and a light wind picking up. Silence filled the air, with only the wind blowing gently every now and then. Rinoa opened her mouth to tell Squall about her decision, but was cut of when she saw a small form heading towards them. "Squall what is that?"

Squall turned his head and smiled. When the form got close enough, Rinoa realized that it was a small dog with a large ribbon tied to its collar. "Oh! Squall! It's a dog!" She exclaimed jumping from the towel, running towards the dog. "He's so adorable, I wonder where he came from," she questioned looking towards Squall.

"Well, he's yours."

"Mine? You mean-"

"Yes, Rinoa. He's yours, Happy Birthday."

"Oh my god Squall, thank you so much!" She ran back towards him, giving him an unexpected hug that almost knocked him over. "But wait, I can't accept this gift. It's way too much."

"No, I want you to have him, think of it as a thank you and a birthday gift."

"You're the best!" She repeated her hug, and rushed back up to the dog. "Come on Squall, let's play with him," she said, picking up the blue Frisbee they brought along with them. She ran ahead, the dog trailing behind at her feet. He watched as the two entertained themselves with the Frisbee, filling the air with laughter and barking. _'Man, I guess Zell was right, she likes the gift. She sure is happy. There's something about her…I just don't know what. But, she seems so right…so perfect. I've never met anyone like her before. As weird as it may sound, I don't think I want to leave…' _His thoughts were interrupted by the Frisbee landing in front of him. By the time he returned to the real world, Rinoa had reappeared in front of him.

"Looks like I'm not the only one getting lost in my thoughts," she said with a smile. "Come on Squall." She ran back off towards the dog. Squall sighed and stood, running to join the fun.

The sun went down and the stars began to fill the sky, and the two were still playing. The dog had grown tired at one point and had fallen asleep on the towels lain out on the sand.

"Maybe, we should head back, it's already dark," Rinoa suggested as they walked towards their towels and the sleeping dog. "Oh, but he's asleep, why don't we just wait here then." Squall just nodded in agreement, laying down on the towel. Rinoa joined him, and the two watched the stars shining in the sky.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I've decided to give Balamb a try."

"Good, it will give you a chance to try something new."

"Will you be there? You know, so that I'm not alone?"

"Yeah. I don't think I can leave you."

"Wait, what did you just say?"

_Oh Hyne, don't tell me I said that out loud. _"Um, nothing," he muttered quickly trying to keep his face from turning red.

"Okay, Squall, whatever you say." She had heard what he had said, but decided not to push him until he came around. "It looks like we'll be out here for the night. Well might as well get comfortable." She moved closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Thank you again for the dog."

"It's not that big of a deal. Have you come up with a name for him, yet?"

"Yeah, I think I'll call him Angelo."

***************REVIEW!!!***********************


	5. Promise

**A/N: SO SORRY IT TOOK FOREVER! I HOPE THIS ONE IS GOOD, NO DAGGERS PLEASE FOR THE ENDING OF THE CHAPTER. I WILL TRY TO HAVE THE NEXT ONE UP FASTER. THERE'S A SWITCH IN POV IN THIS ONE. HAPPY READING!!!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Square is the mastermind behind it all **

_If you need a friend,  
don't look to a stranger,  
You know in the end,  
I'll always be there._

And when you're in doubt,  
and when you're in danger,  
Take a look all around,  
and I'll be there.

I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say. (I promise)  
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be. (I promise)  
But if you'll wait around a while, I'll make you fall for me,  
I promise, I promise you I will.

The Promise

Anberlin

* * *

**Rinoa's POV**

_She was standing in a field of flowers. A slight breeze was blowing around her, lifting fallen petals from the ground. The sun was very dull, it's rays overshadowed by thick heavy clouds in the sky. She looked around, wondering where she was. The place seemed familiar, yet she could recognize it. She began to walk. She noticed a figure not too far in the distance. She ran, desperate to reach the person, hoping to find a way out. She came closer, recognizing the person. It was Squall. She recognized him by his clothes and his hair. Happy to find someone she knew, she tapped him on the shoulder trying to get his attention. He wouldn't turn around. She kept trying, but she couldn't get his attention. The clouds gave way under the pressure, and it began to pour. Rinoa tried desperately to talk to Squall, but he wouldn't turn around. He slowly began to disappear before her eyes. After some time he was gone, leaving only Rinoa to stand in the rain on her own._

Her eyes shot open. She had never had a dream like that before. It felt so real, and brought a strange feeling to the pit of her stomach. Somehow, she knew something would go wrong, she just couldn't figure out what. '_But why was Squall there? Why did he disappear? Wait, was it real? Or just a dream?' _She turned to her side to find Squall asleep on the beach towel they had laid out the previous day when they had come to the beach. The two had slept through the night on the beach. _'He_'s _still here. So, it was definitely only a dream. But where did he go in the dream? Why couldn't I talk to him?'_ Her thoughts began to overwhelm her, and her confusion grew. She realized that she couldn't figure the dream out, and decided to simply forget about it. She looked up at the sky, but only saw a gloomy sky, filled with dark clouds. She didn't know what time it was, but it looked like it was about to rain. That only brought her thoughts back to her dream. She immersed herself in her thoughts that she didn't notice Squall wake up.

"You always point out how I spend so much time in my own world and in my thoughts. Yet you yourself sit here just having woken up, thinking." She jumped at his voice, but simply smiled at his statement. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She replied back, not sure if she wanted to discuss what was really bothering her. She first wanted to find out what it could mean, and didn't want to sound silly and childish about being scared about a dream she had. But then again, she couldn't really figure it out on her own, and there really seemed no harm in telling him. "Well, no I'm not."

"What's wrong?" He asked, a concerned look coming over his face. _'He already looks worried…'_

"It's not much." She paused, not sure if she should continue. But his expression forced her to press on. "I just had this dream and I'm so scared and confused. I think I need to talk to someone about it."

"Oh, okay. Well, talk then."

"I was standing in the field of flowers-" She was cut of by the rain falling from the heavy clouds above them.

"Oh, great! We should probably head back; it looks like it's going to be a pretty bad storm." He jumped to his feet and began gathering their belongings. Angelo was startled by a huge roar of thunder and was up, eager to leave the beach. Rinoa just nodded. Within a few moments the three were running through the forest, making there way to the house.

They walked through the front door just as the heaviest of the rain fell to the ground. They dried off, changing into dry clothes. Rinoa hung her wet shorts and t-shirt in her laundry room to dry, and walked to the living room, her dream still on her mind. She sat on the overstuffed couch next to Angelo, who had made himself comfortable in a pile of pillows and blankets.

"How are you doing girl?" She asked, petting her on the back. The dog let out a small whimper and covered her eyes with his paws. "Looks like we both feel the same way."

"And how is that?" Squall asked as he walked into the room, shaking the wet hair from his face.

"Oh, uh…" was all she could get out, being caught of guard. He sat down next to her and looked at her expecting an answer.

"You were telling me about a dream before we got rained on."

"I know, I didn't forget." She looked down at the ground, deciding where to begin. _'Well, he kind of caught me of guard there by asking how I felt. But now I have to figure out what to tell him.' _"I was standing in a field of flowers. It was so strange, the place, it was so familiar. I wandered around and I found you. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get your attention. It was like there was a black hole in the place where you were supposed to be. The place that started off as a peaceful and happy place, turned cold and sad. I felt so alone…It felt like I would never be happy again…I know it sounds silly, but it was so real and it scared me. It made me think of the promise that you made last night when you said you would be there for me when I move to Balamb. Is that still true? I know it's childish to be scared this much by a dream, but I just have to know." She finished and looked up at him, her frustration and fear evident through the tears welling up in her eyes.

He sighed and replied, "Look, I promised that I would be there for you, and I will. I don't know why you're having these nightmares, but I can tell you that they aren't real. Whenever you need me I'll be there and will always be there." The words were comforting, she wiped the few stray tears that had rolled down her cheek and nodded in understanding. "Don't cry okay, everything will be alright," he said comforting her even more and pulling her into an embrace.

After a few moments, she had calmed down and just as she did there was a heavy pounding on the door. _'I wonder who that could be…no one ever visits me.' _Her thoughts were interrupted when Squall got up to go answer the door. He left the room and Rinoa could hear that he was talking to someone, but couldn't recognize who. He came back a few moments later, the calm and comforting look on his face replaced by worry.

"Who was that and what did they want?" She asked, fearing the worst.

"That was Zell." _'Oh, thank Hyne it wasn't anyone else. But wait, why does he look so worried?' _He came to tell me that the Galbadians have been trying to launch missals."

"What does that mean? Wait, what about the cease-fire?" She asked quickly.

"I don't know much detail, but I don't think the Galbadians care about agreements with us at this point. They're going to do what they want, and the only way to stop them is for us to kill them." He began pacing around the living room.

"Does that "us" include you, or is it just Balamb?" She asked, not wanting him to answer the question.

"It includes me." He stopped pacing and looked at the ground, avoiding her gaze.

"But you said you wouldn't have to fight anymore, and that you would just go back to Balamb."

"I know, but that was before they broke the agreement and threatened the lives of everyone in the world."

"I don't care what the Galbadians are doing!" She argued back, her voice growing louder gradually. "You promised that you would be there for me. If you go of to fight, I might never see you again. I would be alone all over again, just like in the dream that you said wasn't real." The frustration and anger was coming back and it was evident, all Squall could do was apologize and try to comfort her.

"Look, I'm sorry. I have to go. I know I told you that I would be there, but there was a slight change in plans. I will still be there for you, just think of it as a break. I'll be back before you know it, and everything will be okay." He kissed the top of her head, and repeated once more that everything would be alright.

"When do you leave?" She asked, not moving from her position.

"He told me to head out as soon as I get my stuff together," He replied simply.

"You could just stay."

"I want to, I really do, but I have to go."

"I know." After a few moments in silence the two stood and went to gather Squall's things. They folded his clothes in silence trying to avoid the fact that he was leaving. Since Squall was very practical with his packing, there was not much to pack and they finished quickly. Squall picked up his bag and led the two out of the room.

Rinoa stopped and surveyed the room to see if there was anything left. Her eye was caught by something shiny on the nightstand. She walked over to the little nightstand and picked up the object. It was a ring that was engraved with a lion. Knowing that he must have forgotten it, she took it with her and walked out of the room. She found him by the door saying bye to Angelo.

"I think you forgot to take this." She said, holding up the ring.

"Oh, thanks. I can't go anywhere without this thing." He smiled weakly, putting the ring on his finger.

"Do you know how long you'll be long?"

He sighed, walking over to her. "I'm not sure. But I will promise you that I am going to be back." He took her face in his hands and looking into her brown eyes, he reassured her. "You know what; here you can keep my ring. This way you know that I will come back."

Rinoa laughed lightly, "So I'm not good enough to come back for, but your ring is?" She asked jokingly, putting the ring on a chain she had on her neck.

"No. I'll take you over the ring any day." He took her face in his hands once more, this time kissing her lightly on the lips. With one final hug, he walked out the door, leaving Rinoa with only his ring.

* * *

THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!!! Please review!


	6. Plans

A/N: I know I know it was quick. But I thought I should get this one out before I went back to school. I can't promise how fast the next one will come. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll have some time to write it in the next couple of weeks. This is the first chapter of separation. At this point I'm looking at maybe two to three more chapters for this story. The whole military plot in this story is kind of like some parts of the game, but I made it much more simpler than the game not only for times sake, but to fit the category better, and avoid things like magic with sorceresses since Rinoa is not a sorceress in this story. Rinoa and Squall will both have their POV's in this chapter, and that's all there is to say. Review please!

Disclaimer: Square owns it all.

Cause in my head there's a greyhound station  
Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations  
So they may have a chance of finding a place  
where they're far more suited than here

And I cannot guess what we'll discover  
When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels  
But I know our filthy hands can wash one another's  
And not one speck will remain

And I do believe it's true  
That there are roads left in both of our shoes  
But if the silence takes you  
Then I hope it takes me too  
So brown eyes I hold you near  
Cause you're the only song I want to hear  
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

**Soul Meets Body**

**Death Cab for Cutie**

**Squall's POV (DAY 1)**

The hard rain had stopped, leaving behind a cooler air and large puddles that flooded the cobblestone streets of Winhill. Squall made his way through the puddles with his bag in his hand and his gunblade over his shoulder. The cold air was sending shivers up his spine, but he ignored the cold, his mind full of other things to think about.

'_Sure I want to stay, but I'm Commander of SeeD. They need me to help them. It's the right thing to do, better to stop the Galbadians from blowing us all up. When we-' _His thoughts were interrupted by voices from the corner of a house. He lifted his gunblade from his shoulder ready to defend himself if he needed to. He slowly approached the corner, only to find an elderly man sitting in a chair talking to himself. He returned his gunblade to his original position, and turned to return to his original path.

He kept walking through the wet streets thinking to himself, all of his problems accumulating in head making him even more stressful than before. He looked down at his hand hoping to see his ring, but was slightly disappointed when it wasn't there. _'My ring... I don't mind that I gave it to Rinoa. I mean she's more important than the ring, but I just don't feel the same without it. It's funny how everything changed when I came here. I met Rinoa. But what stays the same is that I have to get rid of the Galbadian threat. That will always be my job regardless of what happens in my life.' _His mind went to the kiss. Even though it only lasted for a brief moment, he knew that it would changes everything. He looked up and observed his surroundings. The houses and shops that lined the street were small and quaint showing little sign of activity, but full of remnants of Galbadian rule. Galbadian signs and flags covered the walls of buildings, evidence of occupation. He continued to walk down the quiet street, replaying the events of the past few weeks in his head. He put his hand in his pocket and retrieved a small crumpled piece of paper with an address scribbled on it.

_189 Plans Street_

He looked up at the small blue house on his right, and seeing that it matched the address on the scrap of paper, he walked up to it. Anxious to get his mission over with, he knocked quickly on the door. Within seconds the door swung open and behind it stood a small girl with brown hair and a bright yellow dress.

"Squall!" The girl exclaimed throwing her arms around him. Squall stiffened at her hug, causing her to let go immediately. Straightening herself, she stood and saluting him said, "Er- I mean Commander Leonheart." With his acknowledgment, she stood aside to let him into the small house. She led the way into a small living room full of cadets and SeeD members.

"Finally, there you are! If I didn't know you better I would think you wouldn't show up," Zell said jumping to his feet from the chair he was sitting on.

"Sorry, I guess I lost track of time."

"Nah. Doesn't matter," Zell replied shaking away his excuse with his hands. "We have to get started. Xu, you can start the briefing."

A small woman in a SeeD uniform and long dark hair stood in front of the crowd. "Okay, I need everyone's attention; we have no time to lose. Now you all know we have been on the defense when it comes to Galbadia. We even worked out the agreement with them to keep them from attacking our people and the Garden itself. Now they are under a new leader. They have become more radical and are threatening us with missals. The missals are aimed at Balamb Garden. If they get rid of us, then there would be no one to stop them from talking control of the whole continent, and then the world. With careful planning we have devised a plan that will not only stop the missal threat, but will capture the leader as well."

"Sorry to interrupt, but who exactly is this leader?" Squall asked, speaking up from the corner that he was standing in. "I personally think it's important to know who I'm going after."

"Right, sorry. This is the leader," Xu said pointing to slide that was projected onto a makeshift screen. "This is General Caraway of Deling City." _'Caraway? What the hell am I supposed to do, capture Rinoa's father? I know there not exactly getting along, but I don't know if I can do that. It might make her mad, and I can't lose her, she's one of the best things that happened to me.' _He looked to his side and made eye contact with Zell. Zell Simply shook his head, knowing exactly what Squall was thinking. Xu continued briefing the group, "So, now for the plan. We have two objectives here, stop the missals and capture the leader. The missal group will be lead by Quistis, Irvine, and Selphie, along with Group A and B cadets. You will be going to the Galbadian Missal Base. You can use Galbadian cars that we have obtained that are right outside of the city to blend in when you get to the base. There are further instructions that you will receive from another SeeD member that is already outside by the vehicles. The team capturing the leader will be led by Commander Squall and Zell. Cadets from Group C will accompany them. Originally Group D would have gone, but we need to attract as little attention as possible, so Group D will stay back and patrol Winhil. This group will take the train to Deling City. There is a parade tonight at 2000 hours, an annual parade, meaning that the majority of the city's population will be in attendance. This works out well for us as General Caraway should be by himself in his house with limited security. The cadets are to be the ones leading the fight against the security and Zell and Squall are to capture the leader. While it may sound simple, you need to be as discreet as possible. If anyone outside hears what is going on, then we will be in a bigger mess than we thought. Capture the leader and bring him back, Galbadia will fall apart without a leader, and we'll get control. Mission completed. Good luck to you all." With that statement she ended her briefing and walked away, leaving the group to digest the plan.

Zell turned to Squall and spoke, "I'm sorry man, but we got to do it. Even though he is her father, we have no other choice but to capture him."

Squall sighed and replied, "Yeah, I know. There's not much we can do about it at this point. We should move out and get going." Zell nodded, and turned to address the group of mercenaries.

"Alright listen up! Missal group can move out when they are ready. Deling group is moving out now and is going to the train station outside of the city. Let's move out!" With that he, Squall, and the Group C cadets left the small house on their way to the train station.

**Rinoa's POV (Day 1)**

She adjusted the knobs of the shower, making the water warm. She stepped into the shower hoping to clear her mind. The water rushed over her, warming her quickly. Showers always helped Rinoa clear her head and calm down in a stressful situation. Her thoughts drifted to Squall. She thought about the time when she was talking a shower and Squall accidently walked into the bathroom. She laughed to herself remembering how adorable he had looked blushing from embarrassment. _'I'm not mad at him at all for leaving. It is his job after all, and it would be selfish for me to keep him from helping the world against Galbadia. I miss him already. I hope he comes back soon; I don't how long I can last without him. All I have to remember him by are the memories and his ring.' _She put her hand around the thick ring that was hanging from the chain around her neck. With her finger she traced the lion that was engraved on the ring.

Sighing, she let go of the ring and said, "Oh Squall, I hope you come back soon," to herself. She finished her shower quickly and stepped out of the shower. She dried of and put on some warm clothes. She wiped the bathroom mirror of the fog from the how shower, and stopped to look at herself in the mirror. Her reflection showed a pale, small girl with dark hair and dark eyes to match. Her wet hair was sticking to her face, and her eyes still had some signs of puffiness from her crying a little bit earlier. Smiling weakly, she turned away from her reflection and walked out of the bathroom and into her own bedroom.

Angelo was stretched out peacefully on her bed, lifting her head only to show recognition of Rinoa's entrance into the room. Putting her head back down on her paws, Angelo fell silent. Rinoa crawled under the blankets of the bed yawning in the process, ready to take a long nap. Angelo stood quickly, and moved closer to Rinoa, burying her head in the pillow next to her.

Petting her on the back, Rinoa spoke softly to the dog. "Hey girl, you ready for a nap too? I think we both need a nap, today has been a long day. First the nightmare, then getting rained on, and then Squall having to leave and fight Galbadia with SeeD." Angelo whimpered weakly and covered his eyes with his paws. "I know, I miss him too." Rinoa put her head down on the pillow and while clutching the ring in her hand she fell asleep.

**Squall's POV (Day 1)**

They had all changed into their civilian clothes and were moving through the train station, bound for Deling. Squall and Zell leading the party through the train station, observed the quiet, desolate area. The paved streets were littered with garbage, the walls covered with the same oppressive Galbadian posters visible in Winhil. A thick silence filled the air, only the mercenaries' footsteps being heard. There were only a few people moving around, contributing to the emptiness of the station.

They arrived at a small set of stairs that led to a large blue and black train parked on a set of railroad tracks. A large sign next to the train reading 'Deling City' directed the group towards the correct train. Reaching the train entrance, they climbed onto the train and Squall inserted each train ticket to unlock different compartments for them. The five cadets took up their own compartment, leaving the other for Zell and Squall.

The whole group met in the cadets' compartment for a detailed briefing of the mission. Zell stood in the middle of the compartment to brief the group.

"Alright, Listen up. Since Commander Leonheart was out on sick leave," he began, motioning towards Squall. "I will brief you on the details. To put it shortly, we get to Deling, we get into the Presidential Residence, wipe out any Galbadian scum that gets in the way, and capture Caraway. That's it." He walked over to the other corner of the compartment, pausing for a moment. Continuing, he asked, "So the train will get us to Deling. Once we are in there we will split up and we'll walk to his house."

"But why can't we just use Deling's transportation? Wouldn't that make it quicker?" A tall cadet with sandy colored hair asked, interrupting Zell's speech.

"Can't do it, it's too risky. There's a higher chance that we'll get caught, or slowed down. Either way, I don't think the transportation is running during the parade. This way we can sneak around the city and into Caraway's house without getting caught." The cadet just nodded in understanding. "Continuing on, we split up when we get there. Squall and I will walk ahead and reach the residence first. Then, you will move in and back us up, helping to clear the area of Galbadians. Now the house has guards leading up to the entrance, and throughout it. The guards out in front are actually members of Balamb Garden that are disguised as Galbadian guards. You will know them from the real ones, simply by the fact that they will not attack you." He reached for a piece of folded paper in his pocket, and unfolding it put it on the table in front of the cadets and Squall. "Here's a map of the Residence. You can take the time to familiarize yourself with it. The arrows that I drew on the map indicate the most direct and discreet path to Caraway. Once we get him, we have to leave undetected. That is where Deling underground comes in. If we take a series of underground sewage tunnels we can end up outside of the city, securing our getaway and the success of the mission. There will be SeeD cars waiting on the outside to take us back to Balamb. We should get there in about twenty minutes, and that's it." With that he and Squall stood and left the cadets to go to their own compartment.

"Man, I can't wait to get in there and show the Galbadians who they're messing with," Zell said, throwing a few punches for emphasis. Squall simply nodded and sat down on the large blue seat and looked out of the window. "Hey man, you okay?" Zell asked, sitting down across from him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just want to get this over with."

"And we will. Look, when we get Caraway and leave through the tunnels, you take one of the cars and head back to Winhil. I'll just tell Cid that you had to go back for something."

"Thanks, but I think I should report to Cid. After all I haven't been around in a while," Squall replied reasonably. _'Work is my first priority. I can't let Cid think that I have taken my role as commander for regret. I have to continue to prove to him that I am right for the job. No matter how much I would rather be in Winhill'_

"Oh, come on!" Zell exclaimed throwing his hands up into the air. "Enough of the bullshit Squall. I have known you for a long time, and you have your moments where you go off into your own world and are deep in thought. Well, that's pretty much most of the time. But, I have never seen you this distracted. From your lack of enthusiasm I know that you're not thinking about the mission. Face it man, your head is back in Winhil." Squall opened his mouth to say something, but Zell cut him off by saying, "Like I said before, she heals, cooks, and is pretty cute."

'_Yeah, I know.'_

"What? No defensive comment back? No threats with a gunblade? Well if I didn't know better I would say that our little commander was in love," Zell remarked. Squall shot him one of his famous death glares that caused Zell to smile and say, "There's the Squall I know. Well now that I'm done harassing you, I am going to go check on the cadets." With that Zell stood and ran out of the compartment enthusiastically. _'The first time I met him, he got on my nerves. But he actually makes a good point. I should go to Winhil first.'_

**Rinoa's POV (Day 1)**

_She was standing in a field of flowers. A slight breeze was blowing around her, lifting fallen petals from the ground. The sun was very dull, it's rays overshadowed by thick heavy clouds in the sky. She looked around, wondering where she was. The place seemed familiar, yet she could recognize it. She began to walk. She noticed a figure not too far in the distance. She ran, desperate to reach the person, hoping to find a way out. She came closer, recognizing the person. It was Squall. She recognized him by his clothes and his hair. Happy to find someone she knew, she tapped him on the shoulder trying to get his attention. He wouldn't turn around. She kept trying, but she couldn't get his attention. The clouds gave way under the pressure, and it began to pour. Rinoa tried desperately to talk to Squall, but he wouldn't turn around. He slowly began to disappear before her eyes. After some time he was gone, leaving only Rinoa to stand in the rain on her own._

She shot up straight in bed, a cold sweat running all over her. She looked around. She was in her room with Angelo; nothing had changed from before she had fallen asleep. She slowly climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom carefully, hoping that her trembling body would not collapse. She washed her face with ice cold water, trying to forget what she had just dreamt. _'The damn dream came back. But, it was more real this time. __It was much more emotionally powerful than before. But that doesn't matter. I know that it's not true. It won't happen. He'll come back and everything will be alright. I hope.' _

____________________THAT's IT FOR THIS ONE...REVIEW PLEASE!____________________________


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